Between Skin and Soul
by nanu107
Summary: There are powerful, deep things hidden between skin and soul.  Sequel to Just for Tonight


**Between Skin and Soul**

Author's Ramblings: Hello there! Well who would have thought I would be writing for this fandom again? Certainly not me; I had told myself no more fanfics for the rest of the year and yet here I am. You all must thank alphalover for her encouragement if it weren't for her (and her awesome editing skills) this particular story would not have been born. I hope you enjoy and yes, there's more to come! Happy reading/writing

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It was his turn to quietly sneak into the bedroom's darkness.

As best as a six feet two inch man could sneak around, considering that and the fact that he was He-Man for the moment.

War had started a few weeks back and although Prince Adam had made a few appearances and had fought for a bit, He-Man had taken front and center stage in the protection of Eternos and Eternia. The castle at Eternos had become a gigantic infirmary and every room on every corner was been used as healer's room; there were large machines used to scan the bodies, large carts been dragged, almost empty, towards the injured and holding what was left of the bandages and medicines. Painkillers had become a thing of the past, not because there was a better alternative to use; but because none could be found anywhere. The Sorceress was at her limit and if rest didn't rejuvenate their ailing troops much confidence would be lost and so would war…

No, he should not dwell in such things.

Skeletor had found some way of surprising them and no matter what tactic they used he seemed to be capable to read each and every one of their movements.

In reality He-Man was losing hope and in his need to recharge whatever was left of strength he had lost his battle against his own… _unwillingness_. He called it that way because he couldn't find a name to call this strange turmoil he currently felt.

For a year, a whole year, Adam had kept to himself what Teela had shared with him that night and morning between his skin and his soul. The fire that burned when the mere memory of her whispers created in the tiny space it hid burned every inch of his body; uncovering emotions, older memories, things that were not suppose to resurface because of his duty-bound life, and the carcass that was left regenerated when the mere hope his soul continued to hold bloomed in the smallest of Teela's smile when their eyes locked. He'd never planned on this; Adam thought over and over again that after all things, when things came down to their cruel reality, he would be married to some princess and Teela moved away because of her duty to the military. Probably even married to a more reliable man who never ran out when things got tough.

Pushing the thought aside, because what good could come from it? He-Man slid into the quiet garden around the small building that had become the chambers to the royalty. It was a small house; two stories high and with four rooms; the king was upstairs with his queen. Prince Adam was suppose to be in the room to their right, Adora was in the room to their left and Man-At-Arms was supposed to be sleeping in the room downstairs while Teela had not taken Adora's offer to share the room, she had decided to sleep on the couch. He-Man opened the door to the small house and still in the shadows made sure no one was awake before making his way to the living room. He padded softly, his feet never making a sound, for a moment he remembered BattleCat and the cat's abilities in the masterful joy of a wild beast's hunting skills… Then his blue eyes set over the redhead dropped over the sofa, looking uncomfortable, green eyes staring up at the ceiling and arm bandages because of her last battle against one of Skeletor's goons.

It had been his fault.

The battle had been excruciating and He-Man had been tired, but Teela had been brave and taken TrapJaw on with all her might. The man had scratched her arm badly but had been defeated at the end in a rather humiliating way too; none of the masters would ever forget the humiliation of been struck by lighting twice. First by the Sorceress then from the staff Man-At-Arms had created for Teela. He-Man had hurried to the woman and had made sure her bleeding stopped by wrapping his much larger hand around her (suddenly) very slim arm. He-Man was almost amazed by her thinness, the reason why he would have her escorted to the castle to get some rest; he would do it himself but considering the situation he could not leave the battleground. Teela had not liked it, but she seemed calmer now.

The sigh he let out was the only clue for Teela to wake up from whatever she was thinking and turn. Her green eyes widened slightly and then narrowed. "Adam?"

Well, there was a bit of comfort. In the darkness of war, when all things were said and done and only _they_ were, just _were_, Teela would rather spend her time with a cowardly prince than with the strongest man in the universe. It sounded ridiculous but at least in this small part of the universe, he could allow his defenses to lower a bit; so He-Man did. It was not easy; life had not been the most fair of faiths for Adam. Lately the strain of been He-Man and Adam, the incessant whispers and gossip from the court, the very comments his father was making to his back and sometimes to his face were not making things easier for the young prince. Barely twenty two and starting to resemble He-Man in every physical aspect Adam was growing desperate; heck all he needed was to get well tanned and his secret would be discovered. He and Duncan both believe that no one had discovered the secret because of a spell the Sorceress was casting over the rest of Eternia.

"No." Oh he wanted to say yes, but the voice inside his head (and not the Sorceress) needed to keep her safe from something that had already been unleashed over the face of this planet. "It's me."

Under the fire lit in the living room, that was tanning and shadowing her skin in the loveliest way, He-Man saw Teela blush lightly. "Oh." And she was trying to cover up her naked shoulders. It was a lovely sight, a flustered Teela trying to cover up what he'd already seen naked thousands of times before. "What are you doing here?"

Good question, what _was_ he doing there?

"I came to apologize, I know you were dragged away from the battlefield angry and injured because of me." He-Man finally made his way to the loveseat, where he sat and marveled at the softness of the furniture, repressing a groan of delight. "Teela."

"Yes?"

"I apologize."

"Hmm." She was still angry, what made He-Man smile; leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Teela sighed and for a moment they fell into the contentment of silence. It was easy for them to fall into this sort of silence, as Adam or He-Man, there was this familiarity with Teela that he was pretty sure she had not yet noticed. He-Man had. "Would you like something to eat?" She asked suddenly, parting the sheets from her body and standing.

"Only if you eat something with me." He said softly, knowing for a fact she had not eaten, Orko had been watching over the woman and let He-Man know she just pushed her dinner away. Another sigh from the general direction she was walking to let him known he had touched a sensitive spot, but he said nothing. He was too tired of thinking, feeling and fighting to think.

There was silence and contentment and he was home; that was the main reason He-Man fell asleep for a minute. It was a short quiet minute, he was pretty sure he had not snored, just left the world for a little rest in which he recovered rather rapidly and was feeling very… watched. Because when his eyes opened there was Teela, holding a cup of something warm and a plate of something that must be cold. "I…" He started, blinking several times and turning away. "I guess I am more tired that I thought."

"You've been fighting all week long, it's understandable." She walked closer, skin flushed into a beautiful pinkish he wasn't aware she could take, and handed him the small plate and cup. "There's not much, the supplies are low and sent to camp…"

"I know, whatever you give me its fine." He said softly, knowing the orders the King had given and what was available. He sipped from the cup, while she fetched her own meal, the taste of warm liquid reminded him of the appetite he'd ignored for the sake of others. Teela returned and without a word sat across from him, they ate in silence for a while until He-Man finished his meal and suddenly smiled. "Your cooking skill are good, Teela."

"Right," She said with a fake chuckle. "The Queen made those; she called them Sandwiches." He-man let out laugh and placed the plate and cup over the center table. "He-Man, may I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Have… Do you have family?" The question was so sudden when He-Man turned to look at Teela a bone in his tense neck snapped into place. He didn't notice but Teela did and she stood up worried. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He managed to strain out. "Why… why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I've never heard you talking about… family." His hand rubbed the place where the bone had snapped and the pain was becoming relief. Her hand fell over the place he was rubbing and her tiny hand squeezed with the strength of a man; usually it would hurt but now it felt really good. He-man's eyes rolled and closed as she continued talking. "I've been talking with some of the men and they are always telling me that if they don't make it they would like letters or messages delivered to their families. I just thought that maybe… you'll have someone to send a message to."

He-Man had no idea where it came from but he answered quickly enough. "I've been so busy fighting Skeletor and the evil Masters of the Universe that… I haven't considered even building a family." True to a point, He-Man just enjoyed the small massage Teela was giving him, totally unconsciously. During her training as bodyguard Teela took several lessons in healing arts, the simple basics of course; massage therapy, hydrotherapy that sort of stuff that would help the injured Prince while the Healers arrived at the scene and she was using it now to make him feel better physically.

It was working wonders in all aspects. The tension was easing, the pain was loosening considerably, and the lighting shooting through his skin was filling quickly the empty space between skin and soul. It was like a storm building up slowly in him.

"I don't have anyone actually," He managed to answer finally. "Probably just… the Sorceress I guess, and you or Duncan."

"That is such a sad thing; we can all count on you and you don't have anyone to count on?"

"I have you here, don't I?" And when he said _you_ he meant the Masters, not just Teela, but the way her movements stopped and the tension grew in the air she took that _you_ and understood it as _her_. "Teela…" He wanted to say something, really, but there was nothing he could say now.

"He-Man, listen," She started softly, her hands moving away from his skin upon realizing the intimacy the touch presented. "I… I don't…"

"Don't, you don't have to say a word. I understand." He said softly, standing and turning ot look at her. In reality he wasn't sure what he was saying, but he would have to go with it for now. "There's war and your position as royal bodyguard…"

"I love Adam." His heart skipped a beat, or somersaulted around his heart he wasn't sure which, "But I also love you."

Again he felt the same thing he could not identify in his heart.

"I'm not sure why, I… We barely know each other and Adam and I…"

Then dread filled He-Man. How was he supposed to tell her he was the two men she loved without making her feel like a fool?

"I haven't told Adam, I mean if I could find him and shake some sense into him I might tell him, but just… Just the thought of…" She fell quiet, because there was nothing else to say, really, and bit her lip while her eyes closed. He-Man stared at her, and if he weren't dehydrated he might have tears gathering in his eyes at this point but he had no such luck.

"It's alright." He was able to whisper, so very softly. "You should go to bed." He continued, because as it happened to her before, there was nothing else to say.

Teela's eyes opened and there were tears in her eyes. _Oh, please Ancients, not this_. He-Man nor Adam had ever been able to stand the sight of tears in Teela's eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Teela, no, it isn't your fault…" He took her hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb, marveling at how soft the limb was. But then the pain he was causing her attacked him and his soul twisted, He-Man and Adam wanted to take away the pain, to lift whatever painful emotion that was filling her tears and spilling down her cheeks like a small waterfall. "There is no one to blame about this, things just happen I guess."

There wasn't much to say, he was as inexperienced as she was.

"Just… Go to bed, rest. I'm sure that befor…"

There was no ending the sentence, Teela had come closer and hugged him. Before He-Man knew it his arms were wrapping tightly around her and she was babbling things against his chest, about love and Adam and He-Man and… He didn't catch half of it, because He-Man already knew all she was saying. Her nails scratched the back of his arms, as if clinging to some threads of life, while tears hit his chest and wrenched his heart. "Teela."

There was no ending that sentence either because she got on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. His heart soared, the space between his skin and soul filled, and there was a lid that burst in his very insides; all poured and covered the emptiness he was feeling while aching for her. Teela's lips parted from his, and He-Man ached; he wanted to go right back there and explore her further but Teela escaped his arms and covering her lips as if in shock, or horror, Teela stared at him.

"Tee.." She ran out of the room, up the stairs and the slam of a door was heard. He-Man was still for a while, his heart beat easing into a calm stuttering that resembled the slumbering body of a child. His mind numbed and soon he realized the fireplace was dying and that he needed to at least lay on bed and supposedly rest with open eyes and running thoughts. Moving in automatic pilot He-man walked outside and found a quiet corner where he allowed the power return to the Greyskull and practically dragged himself back to the small house.

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Adam slid into the room across the hallway, the one with the open lock, and through the darkness found the bed where Adora rested. He called out his twin's name softly and saw her turn in her sleep _hmm_'ing as she went. "Are you awake?"

"Not really." She said with a smile, eyes closed.

"Do you mind if I sleep here? My room's… occupied."

She _hmm_'ed again, this time smiled broadly and welcoming him to bed by moving the sheets to uncover the pillow next to hers. Adam slid into bed, his back thanking him for the kind gesture, and covered himself with the warm throws. Adora shifted slightly next to him and sighed, making Adam remember the little sighs Teela let out while sleeping. Tears made their way to him eyes and Adam had to close them tightly to stop the ridiculous flow; why was he crying anyway? That life was messed up and he'd dragged his dearest most beloved friend with him? Weren't all tales and legends full of such things?

"Adam what is it?"

"Nothing, go to sleep."

"My dear brother, you are so terrible lying." Adam turned and saw Adora's eyes slightly open and a small smile playing on her lips. "Now tell me."

"It's too late to talk, just sleep. When we are both well rested we'll talk." He said to her, not really meaning to talk just trying to get her off his back, Adam looked back at the ceiling. Adora took a deep sleepy breath and turned on her side, one hand under her cheek the other landing lightly over his shoulder and squeezing.

"Will you be alright?"

"It's nothing Adora; I've just got something stuck between skin and soul." The sound of a hearty chuckle made Adam turn to Adora, whose eyes were closed, the smile still plastered over her lips, and her hand squeezing his shoulder again.

"Oh, Adam it's just wishful thinking."

The words hit the Prince like a ton of photanium, and his eyes just fixated over his sister's expression. Probably all he was feeling was wishful thinking, probably not.

But if he was having some wishful thinking, why couldn't he make up his mind?


End file.
